It’s National Farmer’s Market Week!

It’s National Farmer’s Market Week! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrates farmer’s markets and the vital role they play local communities each year with National Farmer’s Market Week, which extends from August 4th to August 10th. In recent years farmer’s markets have become much more popular in the United States. In fact, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, recently announced that 8,144 farmers markets are currently listed in the USDA’s National Farmer’s Market Directory, which is up from 5,000 in 2008.

Farmer’s markets have since increased not only in number, but also in diversity of market offerings. Many farmer’s markets have become a one-stop shop for produce. Not to mention, farmer’s markets continue to allow people to build relationships with their grower and the food they eat. Many Americans are beginning to learn how flawed the food system is, and they have a desire to know where their food comes from and how it is produced.

While farmer’s markets can sometimes be pricey, many individuals are willing to pay the extra buck for fresh food that has less long-term costs to their health. In addition, many people view such markets as social events where they can build bonds with other community members. This year the USDA is not just marketing National Farmer’s Market Week as a social event, rather they want to ensure “…sustainability and maturity of farmers markets– keeping new and old markets thriving and improving.”

Here are the top states that make up over fifty percent of all markets listed in the USDA Directory:
1. California (759)
2. New York (637)
3. Illinois (336)
4. Michigan (331)
5. Ohio (300)
6. Pennsylvania (290)
7. Massachusetts (289)
8. Wisconsin 286)
9. Missouri (246)
9. Virginia (tie) (246)
10. Iowa (229)
10. North Carolina (tie) (229)

Check out the USDA’s National Farmer’s Market Directory at www.farmersmarkets.usda.gov.

http://www.wsfa.com/story/23044669/usda-celebrates-national-farmers-market-week

http://www.modbee.com/2013/08/03/2844574/farmers-market-week-starts.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1034396/16/Staying-healthy-with-Farmers-Market-Week

Written by Stacey Terlik